A Rationed Recovery
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: Tired of the media attention and lack of privacy at home, Pyrrha tests out of Sanctum early in order to spend time on her own, roughing it in the Wilds. She underestimates the dangers of her endeavor and ends up collapsing near a village in Vale during a lockdown. Luckily, she is found and cared for by a young man named Jaune Arc. (Arkos Twoshot. Commission for D. KnightOfShadows.)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, friends! I'm back with a commission for D. KnightOfShadows, who wanted an AU-ish fic taking place in the canon-verse, where Pyrrha left Sanctum early to try roughing it in the Wilds, only to end up collapsing from exhaustion and illness near Jaune's home village during a Grimm lockdown. This will be a twoshot. I hope you enjoy it!**

Pyrrha stumbled from tree to tree, grasping weakly at branches to keep upright. Her eyes were bleary with fatigue. Her entire body felt drained due to a combination of tiredness and the beginning of some illness that she couldn't name.

Propping herself against a strong oak, she pulled her map out of her bag. She could barely read it. Worse still, she was hardly aware of her surroundings, so finding a landmark would not be easy. Her canteen made a hollow clunking sound as it thumped against her leg, reminding her that it had been empty for hours.

 _This was a terrible idea,_ she thought mournfully. _Mom and Dad were right. This is nothing like school._

Still, there was no time to feel sorry for herself or regret her previous decisions. She had to get to civilization. Even the smallest town would suffice, as long as it had a doctor and a way to charge her Scroll. Then, she'd have to go home and admit her failure, all while the press swarmed her house and took photos.

That image somehow made her feel even sicker. Shaking her head to clear it, she forced herself to keep moving.

Hours passed before she noticed the trees starting to clear. Squinting in the evening light, she saw walls in the distance. She rushed forward. Just a few more…

She tripped on the gravel path and fell to the ground. Her vision were cloudy and her mouth felt like it had been coated with sand.

 _So…close…_ Her eyes drifted shut.

She floated toward and away from consciousness for the next while, knowing on some level that she wasn't quite dead yet. Whenever she started to wake up, she'd hear a voice.

"Hey, stay with me, okay?" it would say in a gentle, but urgent tone. "Can you drink some water for me? Just open your mouth a bit."

She would obey and immediately be rewarded with wetness coating her tongue. She would swallow a few times before the blackness took her yet again.

Finally, a day came when she was able to wake up fully. It was dark, and her eyes had to adjust before she could see anything. Eventually, she was able to make out a small room. She was lying in a medium-sized bed with a table and lamp sitting near the headboard, along with a chair. A dresser and desk sat a few feet away. Propped against the wall near the door were a sword and shield.

"Hello?" she tried to call out, only to start coughing. Her throat was completely dry. Her eyes fell on the table near her, where there was a glass of water. Quickly, she picked it up and drank it in two or three gulps.

At that moment, the door opened and a young man walked in. He stopped short before his face broke into a grin. "You're actually awake! I was starting to wonder if you'd sleep forever." He walked over, sitting in the chair and turning on the lamp. "How're you feeling?" He had an open, friendly smile and bright blue eyes that reflected the lamplight.

"I…I'm fine, thank you," Pyrrha stammered. "How did I get here, though?"

"You don't remember?" The boy frowned. "I found you near the entrance to the village. You were totally out of it. All you had was a bag with some clothes, a map, and your weapons. Oh, they're over by the window, in case you didn't see." He nodded toward a closed window, where Pyrrha could just see the outline of her gear on the floor.

She felt a combination of relief and embarrassment filling her. "Thank you for saving me. I'm so sorry if I was any trouble."

"Oh, it's no problem. The house is kinda empty right now, so there's plenty of room. I'm Jaune, by the way."

"I'm Pyrrha. It's nice to meet you." Pyrrha held out a shaky hand, which Jaune grasped.

"Likewise. Pyrrha, huh? That's a nice name." He gave her hand a firm, but gentle shake before pulling a small bucket out from under the bed. "You still have a bit of a fever," he explained as he took a wet rag from it. "Here."

The rag touched Pyrrha's forehead, immediately cooling her skin. She leaned back on the bed with a sigh as her brow, cheeks, and neck were carefully wiped down. "Thank you again," she murmured, closing her eyes. "I'm sure I'll be better soon. Once I get home, my parents will be able to repay you for your kindness."

Jaune's hand stopped. "Wait, you don't know?" Puzzlement clouded his voice. "The area is under lockdown right now. No one's coming in or out unless they're Huntsmen."

"Lockdown?!" Pyrrha's eyes flew open. "For how long? Is it the Grimm?" _That would explain the huge hoard I had to run away from a few days ago._ She sat up. "My family must be worried sick-ow…" she groaned as the rapid action caused a bolt of pain to go through her skull.

"Whoa, easy." Jaune gently pushed her back down. "Don't move so suddenly. I charged up your Scroll while you were asleep. I'll get it for you, okay?"

He walked over to the dresser, picking up Pyrrha's slightly-battered Scroll and placing it on the table by the lamp. "I have some soup on the stove. Now that you're fully conscious, you should eat something. Go ahead and call your folks, and I'll get it ready."

"Thank you," Pyrrha repeated. It seemed as if she'd never be able to say it enough to this boy, who likely had saved her life.

Once the door closed, she took a deep breath, steeling herself before dialing her home number. What followed was a short conversation with her frantic mother, mostly consisting of convincing her to not cause a huge panic. "People knowing I'm here won't get the Huntsmen here any faster or end the lockdown any sooner," she reasoned. "It'll only cause a bigger uproar when I come back. Please keep this quiet, okay? I'm fine." She made her voice as strong-sounding as possible.

She hadn't said a word about her failure in the Wilds. As far as her family knew, she had been in the area when it went under lockdown and found the nearest town. They didn't need to know anything else.

A few minutes after she hung up, Jaune returned with a tray. The smell of meat and vegetables caused Pyrrha to slowly sit up again. Her stomach rumbled loudly. Once the tray was set up on the bed, she reached for the spoon, only for it to slip from her trembling fingers.

"Let me," Jaune offered, taking the spoon and dipping it in the soup, filling it with off-green vegetables and meat. It obviously had come from a can

Pyrrha's face flushed with embarrassment. She couldn't believe that she had reached a point where a total stranger had to feed her. Still, she opened her mouth and ate the soup when Jaune moved the spoon close.

While she chewed, Jaune started talking, distracting her from her self-deprecating thoughts. "You're lucky I found you. Like I said before, the house is empty. My parents and sisters were visiting some cousins in the next village over when the lockdown started. The clinic isn't going to waste resources on an outsider, so here's probably the best place you could've ended up."

Pyrrha chewed and swallowed. The meat was tough and the vegetables were mostly tasteless, but hunger truly was the best seasoning. This felt like the best meal she'd ever had. "Why didn't you go with them?"

"Someone needs to stay behind to watch the house," Jaune explained. "Last time we left it unprotected, someone stole some pricey artifacts that belonged to my great-great-grandfather. He fought in the Great War, you know." He fed her another spoonful. "Thankfully, they didn't find Crocea Mors." He nodded toward the sword and shield by the door.

"So, you're a Huntsman?" That would certainly explain how willing he was to help a stranger in need.

"Uh…well…not really." Jaune glanced to the side. "I've been trying to train myself so I can enroll in Beacon this fall. The problem is that I didn't go to any primary fighting schools. Mom and Dad needed me around to take care of my little sisters, you know?" Another spoonful. "Okay, my turn to ask a question. What was my mysterious guest doing wandering the Wilds all alone?"

Pyrrha swallowed another bite of soup, savoring the way the broth coated her still partially-dry throat. "Well, I was enrolled in Sanctum. I was…a bit of a big deal there." She smiled apologetically. "I'm not trying to sound conceited. I honestly didn't enjoy the attention."

"Popular girl-type attention?" Jaune asked sympathetically.

"Media attention."

"Ugh! Even worse!" Jaune shook his head. "Are we talking crazy photographers and tabloids?"

"Unfortunately." Pyrrha grimaced at the memory. "Everyone at home knew me as a great fighter who was going to only become more famous as time went on. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to prove myself as a Huntress without having thousands of cameras and screaming fans around. So, I tested out of Sanctum early and left. Only my parents knew what I was doing. A ship dropped me in the woods a few days' travel from the edge of Vacuo, and I was planning on walking to Vale."

Jaune let out a low whistle. "That's a long way, especially for someone who hasn't been to a secondary school." His eyes were shining with admiration. "Still, it takes a lot of courage to do something like that. I do have good news for you: You made it to Vale, the continent anyway. The city is a longer way off."

Pyrrha felt herself smile. At least she hadn't failed completely. "I would have been fine if it weren't for that storm followed by a run-in with a huge pack of Grimm. I had to run for a day and a night. That was when I started to get weaker."

"Twenty four hours of running from Grimm?" Jaune shook his head slowly. "Man, you're amazing."

Pyrrha chuckled, leaning against the headboard when she saw that the bowl was empty. "I don't feel very amazing right now."

"Well, give it a few days," Jaune said. "You're already looking better. I think you'll be up and about by the end of the week." He picked up the tray. "Try sleeping a bit. The bathroom's down the hall. I left some extra towels. Just be careful how long you're in there. The water is being rationed, so the shower will turn off automatically after fifteen minutes."

"Okay, and thank you again, Jaune. I promise to make it up to you once I'm better," Pyrrha replied.

"Hey, it's no problem. Huntsmen are supposed to help people, right? You don't owe me anything. I'm glad to have some company, to be honest." Jaune turned off the lamp and walked to the door. "Call me if you need anything. I'll bring some more water."

When the door closed, Pyrrha allowed herself to relax against the mattress. She closed her eyes, taking a moment to savor the feeling of being full and rested. Her fever was nowhere near as hot as she remembered it being during her stumbling trek through the woods. She honestly believed Jaune's prediction that she'd be better soon.

After managing to get up and walk shakily to the bathroom, Pyrrha treated herself to her first shower since her departure. It felt like heaven after weeks of bathing in cold streams. The water shut off after fifteen minutes, but Pyrrha still felt one hundred percent better. She found some clean pajamas laid out, and chuckled a little when she saw the bunny pattern on them. Once they were on, she returned to the bedroom, walking much straighter than before. She fell back on the bed, pulling the covers up. There was a fresh glass of water on the nightstand.

Perhaps, she'd be able to return to the Wilds after this lockdown ended. _Not before I repay Jaune, though._ She thought back to what he had said about wanting to get into Beacon. _Once I'm stronger, I might be able to help him with his training…_

With this thought in mind, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

…

Over the next few days, Pyrrha got to know her rescuer a bit more. She told him about her experiences in Sanctum while he talked about the dancing lessons his mom had made him take as a kid. They talked about each other's families. Jaune had a lot more to say, having seven sisters and a famous ancestor.

At one point, he took some comics from his dresser. "Here, in case you get bored."

Pyrrha stared at the comics. "You like _X-Ray and Vav_ too?"

The very air around Jaune brightened. "Oh, Dust yes!" What followed was a total nerd-out where the two talked about their favorite issues. "Hey, do you watch _Red vs. Blue_?" Jaune asked.

"I'm about three seasons in. It's so funny!"

After that, an hour was devoted to debating whether the Red or Blue Team was better.

"You can't hate any team that has Caboose," Jaune argued. "He's the deciding factor. Blue wins."

"Caboose is funny," Pyrrha allowed. "But, the Red Team has Sarge. He's my personal favorite. He reminds me a bit of one of my old teachers. And they also have Donut. That tips the scale for me."

"Carolina is a good character too. For some reason, I have a feeling that you'd like her a lot. Man, if electricity wasn't being rationed, I'd be down for a marathon to get you caught up."

"I'd be happy to when the lockdown ends," Pyrrha said with a smile. She couldn't remember the last time someone did something as simple as inviting her to marathon a TV series. People were either too intimidated to talk to her, or were clearly hanging out with her in order to get some secondhand popularity.

Jaune's grin outshone the light of the lamp. "Awesome!" He stood up. "I'll get your dinner, okay? Just sit tight." He walked toward the door. Just before he got there, he stumbled, barely catching himself on the desk.

"Jaune, are you okay?" Pyrrha asked, starting to sit up.

"Uh, yeah!" Jaune shook his head quickly, holding up a hand in Pyrrha's direction. "Don't get up. I'm fine. Just tripped on the carpet."

 _There's no carpet there,_ Pyrrha thought, her frown deepening. Just as Jaune opened the door and the hallway light hit his face, she saw that he was looking incredibly pale, almost as if he hadn't eaten that day.

As soon as the thought surfaced, realization struck Pyrrha like a punch in the face. _Of course! Everything in town is rationed right now. That would include food._ She thought of those canned soups and dry bread Jaune had been feeding her over the past few days. She had assumed that he had been eating his own meals elsewhere.

 _He told you that the clinics wouldn't waste resources on an outsider. You should have realized that extra rations wouldn't be given on your account!_ she scolded herself.

When Jaune came back into the room he stopped short when he saw the stern look Pyrrha was giving him. "Uh, what's up?" he asked.

"I'll eat once you do," Pyrrha said firmly.

Jaune placed the tray in front of her. "Look, I told you I tripped. I'm fine."

"You're pale, and there wasn't a carpet there for you to trip on," Pyrrha replied flatly. "I'm not eating until you've had at least half of that."

Jaune set his jaw stubbornly. "I'm fine. You're sick. You need it more than I do."

"If you starve yourself, you'll be the one who's sick," Pyrrha argued.

"You eat first. I insist." Jaune folded his arms.

"Fine, but I'm only eating half. And you'd better eat the rest, so it doesn't go to waste." Her eyes locked with his for a few seconds before he let out a loud sigh.

"Man, you got that look on your face. Okay, you win."

"Good." Pyrrha smirked as she picked up her spoon. "What look?"

"It's that look Mom sometimes gets. She says that whenever a woman looks like that, there's no point in arguing with her."

Pyrrha laughed. "Your mother is a wise woman." She ate her soup quickly, making sure that exactly half of the bowl remained. She broke the bread in half and started nibbling on her piece. "Okay. Eat up."

Jaune shrugged. "I'll eat later."

"If you're thinking of mixing that in with my meal tomorrow, don't bother. I'll notice," Pyrrha said dryly.

"How did you-?" Jaune gaped before shaking his head. "Okay, you got me." Picking up the bowl, he started to eat what was left. After the first few bites, he lost his earlier reservation and devoured it within seconds.

Pyrrha watched him, frowning as she finished her bread. "Did you honestly think I'd be okay with someone starving on my account? Don't forget that I'm also planning on being a Huntress."

Her words caused a sheepish look to come to Jaune's face. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I…guess I didn't think about that. I just wanted to make sure you got better. I figured that a true Huntsman could handle going without food."

"Only if necessary. It's not something to make a habit of," Pyrrha scolded gently. "Promise me that you'll eat half of the rations from now on, okay?"

Jaune nodded, knowing that he had been defeated. "Okay. Once you're better, I'll be able to join the foraging parties. Then, there will be more food for both of us. Foragers get to keep extra food along with the packaged rations."

 _Foraging parties, huh?_ Pyrrha made a mental note to ask about that as soon as she was completely better. "Do you think the lockdown will last much longer? They must be sending Huntsmen with the food and Dust shipments."

"Oh, they are," Jaune affirmed. "I heard that the Grimm are getting pushed back. It's a tricky process since there are a bunch of villages that are more spaced out, so it's harder to clear the whole area. There has been progress, though. Back when this started, there weren't any foraging parties because it was too dangerous."

"I see." Pyrrha nodded. "Do you think they'd let us help fight the Grimm?"

"I doubt it," Jaune sighed. "We're both rookies, even though you're famous. They'd probably expect us to get in the way. I'd _definitely_ get in the way. I'm hopeless." He cast a mournful glance toward his sword and shield.

"Don't be discouraged," Pyrrha said, reaching out to touch his arm. "When I first started, I could barely tell which end of a javelin to hold when throwing. Everyone starts somewhere. Just because you're starting a bit late doesn't mean there's no hope." She smiled comfortingly. "If you want, I can help train you once I'm better."

Jaune's eyes flickered hopefully before he looked downward. "I…I can't ask you to…"

"Think of it as repayment for you taking care of me," Pyrrha urged. "I'd be happy to do it. A good spar is just what I'll need once I'm back on my feet."

Jaune snorted. "Well, you won't get one from me, that's for sure." He glanced at her with a shy smile. "But… if you really want to, I won't say no to some help. Thanks."

"It's my pleasure," Pyrrha said. "And my first order as your teacher is for you to make sure to eat well."

"Okay, okay!" Jaune held up his hands in surrender. "I get it. No more 'tripping on the carpet.' I promise." He finished the soup and showed the bowl to Pyrrha. "There. Clean plate. Are you happy, _Mom_?" He sounded exasperated, but the joking shine in his eyes gave him away.

Pyrrha laughed. "I'm happy enough to stop nagging for now."

"That's a relief," Jaune said with an exaggerated eyeroll. He couldn't keep from snickering a little. He picked up the tray. "You can have the shower first. Then, right to bed."

"Okay." Pyrrha paused as a thought occurred to her. "The water is rationed, too. You haven't been giving up taking showers on my account, have you?"

Jaune huffed. "Of course not! I have _some_ personal standards, you know! The house gets a half hour for the shower overall."

He didn't sound like he was lying. Pyrrha shook her head as he left. _His priorities are certainly skewed,_ she thought, a fond smile coming to her face.

Skewed priorities aside, Jaune was probably the kindest person Pyrrha had ever met. Despite his insistence that any decent person would have done the same, taking her in had been a definite inconvenience for him. And he hadn't done it for any personal gain. He hadn't known who Pyrrha was. The fact that she was a celebrity was only mildly impressive to him. In his eyes, she was just a girl who had needed help. His agreement to train with her was the first time he had actually accepted an offer of repayment for what he had done.

Thinking of training with him actually caused a feeling of excitement to flow through Pyrrha, driving away the drowsiness that had started setting in. She sparred and trained a great deal, but this would be her first time doing it with a friend.

 _A friend._ The thought made her smile grow as she got up and headed toward the shower. This was definitely something she could get used to.

 **The next chapter will consist of Pyrrha recovering and repaying Jaune, both by training him and by joining the foragers. You can expect more Arkos fluff then. I like the idea of Jaune taking care of Pyrrha, or anyone else, in this way, since I've always pegged him as a healer. I still think that'll end up being his Semblance.**

 **I'll try to get the second half of this out within the next week. Peace out until then!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Aaaand, here's part two. Those of you who waited for Arkos fluff won't be disappointed. Thanks again for commissioning this, D. KnightOfShadows! This was a lot of fun. Enjoy!**

Between Jaune's care and her own persistence, it didn't take much longer for Pyrrha to make a full recovery. She got out of bed one morning, put on her battle attire, and went downstairs to greet Jaune. Of course, her cautious caretaker insisted on waiting two more days before allowing her to venture outside.

Determined to not waste any time, she used those days to start teaching him some basic battle stances. She made him hold them for long periods of time in full armor, giving him gentle encouragement whenever his legs shook or his sword arm wavered. "Having a good stance is the first step," she insisted. "If your stance is bad and you leave an opening, you're dead no matter how well you can swing a sword."

Jaune grimaced as he continued to stand in place. "Are you sure you aren't punishing me for not letting you outside right away?"

"I would never stoop so low!" Pyrrha mock-gasped. "I am being completely professional."

"Uh-huh," Jaune muttered. "Somehow, I'm not convinced."

"You'll thank me later. Actual combat is nothing compared to this." Pyrrha noticed that, despite the halfhearted complaints, Jaune did as he was told. Under his jokes, his eyes shone with determination. This was certainly not a game for him.

Once the two days passed and Pyrrha was deemed ready to go outside, she immediately set out to volunteer for the foraging parties. It was interesting finally seeing Jaune's village for the first time. It was a decent-sized settlement with large walls surrounding it. The houses were sturdy, some of them clearly centuries old. At the center of town, where people signed up for foraging parties and picked up rations, a large monument of a Huntsman stood. The figure held a familiar sword and shield.

"Yeah, that's my great-great-grandfather," Jaune said as Pyrrha looked at it. "My family is a bit famous around here."

"Do you ever deal with media attention?" Pyrrha asked, genuinely curious.

"Nah. No one ever thought I'd be a Hunter. My dad is more likely to attract fans." His voice took on a slightly bitter tone before he shook himself. "But, I'm changing that. With you teaching me, I know I'll get into Beacon."

"I'm flattered by your confidence." Pyrrha's face flushed slightly. "I've only taught you some stances so far. We'll see how you like actually fighting me."

Jaune flashed a resigned grin. "I'm already prepared for the intense bruising I shall receive, don't worry."

The Huntsman leading the foraging parties eyed them both before assigning them to a group that was going into the western woods. According to Jaune, there was a good amount of deer as well as some mulberry trees there.

Pyrrha quickly realized that she would have done a better job if she had been allowed to venture out alone. Her time in the Wilds had made hunting for her own food necessary, so she was pretty experienced in the silent stalking of animals. With a bunch of other people around, progress was significantly slower and noisier.

Still, they eventually tracked down a herd of deer. Pyrrha took aim with Milo and managed to take down a large doe with a single shot to the throat. The rest of the herd scattered as the group approached to pick up the kill.

Jaune was distinctly green as he took a leg and helped drag the creature. At Pyrrha's questioning look, he explained: "I've never really hunted animals before. I…didn't expect to feel anything when it died. I guess I was wrong." He stared at the ground. Some of the other foragers rolled their eyes and snickered at his words, making his shoulders slump.

"There's nothing wrong with having compassion for our food," Pyrrha assured him, frowning pointedly at their smirking companions. "It keeps us from killing needlessly and guarantees that we'll respect the animal and use everything we can." She was satisfied when a few of them averted their gazes.

Jaune didn't reply, but he felt a small smile coming to his face. He realized that he cared much more about what Pyrrha thought than the rest of the group.

That night, the two feasted on roasted venison combined with the usual rations. They alternated between eating the venison and the canned soup, using the meat juices to soften the hard bread. Both felt distinctly drowsy by the time the meal ended.

"We actually have leftovers," Jaune noticed, letting out a yawn. "Maybe we can train tomorrow. How's that sound?"

Pyrrha nodded, echoing Jaune's yawn. "That sounds grand. We should probably go to bed, though. Falling asleep in these chairs wouldn't be good for our muscles."

"Yes, ma'am." Jaune got up, stretching before walking up the stairs. "Let me know if you need anything."

Pyrrha returned to her room which, she had found out, was actually Jaune's room. He had thought that it would be best for her to sleep there, rather than being put in one of his sisters' rooms without their permission. He had commandeered his eldest sister's room over the course of Pyrrha's stay. After her recovery, she had taken the opportunity to explore Jaune's room in greater detail. Several posters decorated the walls. A book shelf sat near the door, holding a few books on battle strategies and several board games. Comics were scattered all over the place, most of them piling up on the desk. Overall, it was a nice, ordinary room.

Of course, the more she thought about Jaune, the less ordinary he seemed to her. They talked and laughed together so easily. She felt as if she had known him her whole life. And those gorgeous blue eyes…

 _Don't get ahead of yourself,_ she thought firmly. _Despite everything, you've only known him for a few days. Keep your head and focus on teaching him._

The following morning, the two went into Jaune's backyard, where he had set up his own practice equipment (which consisted of a few training dummies, a tattered target, and a battered weapon rack).

"Dad doesn't let me near the more advanced stuff," Jaune explained, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "I hope this will be okay. If you don't want to train me anymore, that's fine."

Pyrrha touched his shoulder. "Jaune, I made a promise. A shortage of training gear isn't going to stop me. Honestly, we won't need any of this."

"Really?" Jaune blinked. "Not even the dummies?"

"Dummies can't fight back." Pyrrha drew Milo and fell into her natural battle stance. "We begin now. Attack me."

"Huh?" Jaune stared dumbly at her for a second. "You mean…right now?"

"Yes, Jaune. Right now." Pyrrha smiled before suddenly lunging forward, hitting Jaune's side sharply with the flat of her javelin. "And don't forget your battle stance."

"Ow!" Jaune yelped as he jumped back. He made a nervous "eep" sound when he saw Pyrrha getting ready to attack again. Quickly, he tried to imitate one of the stances he had been made to learn. While he was trying to figure out his arm placement, Pyrrha delivered a sharp thwack to his other side.

"You're dead." Pyrrha stepped back, green eyes sharp as she watched Jaune. "On the battlefield, the enemy won't wait. The stances I taught you are a base. You need to constantly adjust depending on terrain, the number of enemies, and whether you have allies. Let's try again. This time, get into position within five seconds."

A few more tries and several more bruises later, Jaune managed to get into position in time to clumsily raise his shield and fend off Pyrrha's latest attack. Of course, he stumbled and fell on his face right afterward. He groaned, using his sore arms to push himself up. He sighed as he sat in the grass. "I really am hopeless," he mourned.

"Not at all!" Pyrrha quickly assured him. "You've improved a great deal, and this is only your first lesson." She knelt down next to him. "Let's take a quick water break. We'll go another hour before calling it a day."

"I can go longer," Jaune insisted.

"I know, but we are still on rationed food and water," Pyrrha reminded him. "Even if we join the foragers every other day, we need to be careful. It's very easy to get malnourished and dehydrated when training, and I refuse to be the cause of you becoming sick."

By the end of that practice, Jaune was able to block almost half of Pyrrha's attacks, and even managed to clumsily retaliate with his sword a few times. He was convinced that he was a failure, but Pyrrha was honestly impressed.

"If this is how you are with no experience, you will certainly become an extraordinary Huntsman with proper training," she said as she helped him back to the house. "Don't favor your legs too much," she added. "They'll get stiffer."

"Sorry." Jaune tried standing up straighter as he walked. "Are you sure you aren't lying to make me feel better?"

"Now, what kind of teacher would I be if I did that?"

"Good point…" Once inside, he plopped down on the couch with a loud groan. "I just hope I won't be too stiff to do any foraging tomorrow."

"It takes some getting used to," Pyrrha admitted. "You'll probably be sore in the morning."

"Great." Jaune rolled his shoulders, grimacing when that didn't do anything to ease the pain. "I hope I don't sound ungrateful," he quickly added. "I'm just whining. I really do appreciate the help. No pain, no gain, right?"

Pyrrha smiled. "Don't worry about it." She hesitated before adding: "You know, I learned a few massage techniques in Sanctum that might help…" She trailed off.

Jaune tilted his head. "They taught you how to massage in a battle school?"

"Well, the school was meant to prepare us for places like Beacon, where we are given partners," Pyrrha explained. "Helping one's partner is important, and soothing pain is certainly helpful."

"I'll try anything," Jaune said before stopping short, an uncertain look coming to his face. "So, uh, do I lie down or…"

"You can sit up. Just take off your armor plating." Pyrrha felt her cheeks growing warm as Jaune started unstrapping his armor. _It's just a routine massage,_ she scolded herself. _That's it. Don't make it more than it is._ Just the same, a tiny shiver went down her spine as she placed her hands on his back. Even through his hoodie, she could feel the muscles that, while out of practice, were definitely present. She rubbed her fingertips and the heel of her palm into his back, gently feeling out the tight spots and working to loosen them.

Jaune closed his eyes, just barely keeping from letting out a sigh at how amazing Pyrrha's palms felt on his stiff back and shoulders. Those strong, slender hands, which had been mostly been used to smack him with a javelin throughout the day, were now soothing him in ways he never would have thought possible.

Admittedly, he probably wouldn't be enjoying this so much if someone else had been rubbing him down. Though he had actively suppressed such thoughts over the past few days, determined to keep from being creepy, he had to finally admit that he was very much attracted to Pyrrha. He had noticed her beauty even when he had first found her malnourished form at the edge of the village. When he had seen her fully-open eyes for the first time, he had been captivated. And she wasn't just beautiful; she was kind, funny, understanding, and seemed to genuinely like him.

Did he dare believe that fate had brought her to him?

 _Dude, that's cheesy, even for you,_ he thought with a mental eyeroll. At that moment, Pyrrha rubbed a spot in the center of his back that caused him to let out a pleased grunt. His muscles relaxed almost instantly under her touch.

Pyrrha's cheeks warmed even further at the small, involuntary sound Jaune let out. She scooted a little closer as she continued to search for more tense spots. After going over his back, she checked his arms, rubbing them firmly. Technically, a full massage in a relaxed setting would involve the subject removing his shirt. There was no way that Pyrrha was about to go that far! She'd probably get too distracted to give the actual rubdown. Remaining focused was already hard enough.

 _Okay, fine,_ she relented. _I have a crush._

When she finished the massage, she hesitated before leaning forward to briefly hug Jaune from behind. He didn't even seem surprised. He just looked over his shoulder to smile sleepily at her. She smiled back. "You did very well today. Keep it up, and I know you'll become stronger." She squeezed him briefly before standing up. "Goodnight, Jaune."

"Goodnight, Pyrrha." Jaune watched her go upstairs, feeling a little dazed. He fell asleep a few minutes later, smiling at the warmth that still lingered after that all-too-brief embrace.

During their next practice session, Pyrrha unlocked Jaune's Aura. She had noticed before that he hadn't activated it to fend off any of her blows. She had assumed that he had kept it off in order to feel the impact of his failures better. It turned out that he had no idea what Aura was.

 _His family really doesn't think he can become a Hunter,_ she thought. _For him to not even know what Aura is…_

After giving him a brief explanation, she instructed him to close his eyes. Gently, she placed a hand on his chest, activating her own Aura. Closing her eyes, she remembered her lessons and mentally delved into the latent energy surrounding Jaune. Aura traveled through a person's veins like blood, even when dormant, and it was easy to follow the various paths to the heart. Carefully, she tapped into the core, activating it in a flood of golden light.

His Aura felt amazing. It was warm, comforting, and filled with potential. Pyrrha had only tapped into a few other people's Auras in the past for training purposes, but this felt more personal. She felt totally in sync with Jaune. When she opened her eyes to catch a glimpse of his serene smile, she knew he felt the same way.

As predicted, Jaune showed some improvement as they fought, using his Aura several times to block attacks. Though he was still figuring out how to activate it at will, he was learning quickly. Pyrrha was quick to distract him when he started to doubt his overall abilities, building him up as much as she could. She knew that confidence was every bit as important as physical skills, after all.

They went with the foraging parties every other day. At one point, a pair of Ursai attacked the group and Pyrrha and Jaune helped to fend them off. Jaune had been walking on air for the rest of the day. Later on though, he grew more somber as a thought occurred to him.

"Pyrrha, what if this doesn't make a difference?" he asked as they ate. "I mean, I'm going up against people who trained for years in primary schools, like you. Do I really have a shot?"

"Absolutely," Pyrrha replied. "Primary schools are there to give people an edge, but there have been plenty of Huntsmen who didn't start formal training until secondary school. You are definitely talented, and I think you should plan on applying this fall." She smiled reassuringly. "Who knows? We may end up on a team together."

"Yeah." Jaune smiled at the thought. "That would be pretty great." He paused before asking: "So, what are you going to do when the lockdown ends? I've heard that the Grimm are almost under control. Will you go back into the Wilds? Try to get to the capital?"

"I can hardly do that," Pyrrha exclaimed. "I have a responsibility now. Someone has to make sure you get into Beacon." She paused, glancing uncertainly to the side. "I mean…if that's okay. I wouldn't want to impose-"

"Oh, definitely!" Jaune quickly cut in. "It's no problem at all!" _Easy, now. Don't sound too eager._ "I, um, actually asked my parents about it. My sister Mary says you can bunk with her. I didn't want to ask, but if you want to…"

"That would be grand," Pyrrha said wholeheartedly, unable to keep the bright smile from her face. "Thank you!"

"I should be the one thanking you," Jaune insisted, eyes shining excitedly. "We can even take the entrance exams together! Oh, and we can marathon _Red vs. Blue_ once the lockdown ends!"

Pyrrha chuckled, happy that Jaune was as enthusiastic as she felt. "I would certainly enjoy that. I look forward to meeting your family. I feel that I should thank them personally, since I've been in their house all this time."

"I've already told them a lot about you." Jaune's cheeks turned pink as he said this. "They really want to meet you, too."

After dinner, the two went to bed and continued their cycle of training the next day. It was easy to fall into a schedule. At the end of the day, whether they had been fighting or foraging, they ate dinner together and talked. On training days, Pyrrha would massage Jaune's stiff muscles, always ending with a firm, reassuring hug and a reminder that he was absolutely improving.

When she went to bed each night, she quietly reflected on the unexpected turn her journey of self-discovery had taken. Though her time in the Wilds had taught her a lot, the weeks she had spent with Jaune had done so much more. She felt as if she had a purpose outside of fighting in tournaments and posing for pictures. She was a teacher, a friend, and a Huntress who was pursuing her dreams while helping someone else pursue his.

 _Perhaps, it was destiny,_ she mused as she fell asleep, smiling in anticipation for the coming morning.

…..

The lockdown finally ended after another week, and Jaune's family arrived at the house the following day. There was much hugging and catching up. Everyone was thrilled to meet Pyrrha, especially Jaune's younger sisters, who had seen her face on the Pumpkin Pete's cereal boxes and was shocked that their big brother was being taught by "a real famous Huntress."

Jaune's mother took an immediate liking to Pyrrha and insisted on giving her a "real meal" that she wouldn't have to hunt for (since the grocery stores were finally getting stock again). The following dinner, consisting of homemade roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob, was the best Pyrrha had eaten in ages. To celebrate the end of the lockdown, Mrs. Arc even made a chocolate cake. Pyrrha was glad that a Huntsman's Aura naturally broke down food quicker. Otherwise, getting up the following morning to continue training would have been next to impossible.

She discovered that she was enjoying herself even more than before. Jaune's family was wonderful, and strove to make her feel accepted. Without the rationed food and electricity, she was able to eat three full meals a day and take showers without timing herself. At night, she and Jaune would sit in the living room and alternate between watching movies and marathoning _Red vs. Blue_. A few times, Jaune would doze off due to exhaustion from training, and his head would fall on Pyrrha's shoulder. She didn't mind one bit.

When she talked to her parents, they expressed concern that Jaune was taking advantage of her kindness by training with her so much. A stern reminder that Jaune had literally saved Pyrrha's life was usually all it took to shut them up. Her father forwarded information on how to apply to Beacon from a different address and wished her luck. She thanked both of them, promising to come home in the summer, after the Beacon acceptance letters would be mailed out.

On the day of the entrance exams, Jaune was nothing but nerves. "Oh man! What if I forget something? What if I mess up on the written stuff? What if I pull a muscle? What if I impale myself and DIE?!"

Pyrrha grasped him firmly by the shoulders, giving him a shake. "Jaune, you'll be fine. The written portion hardly counts. If you pull a muscle, remember the trick I taught you for relieving the pain. And I highly doubt that you'll impale yourself and die. You'd have to be very stupid or very untrained. You are neither, so you have nothing to worry about. I believe in you." She smiled gently. "Okay?"

Jaune took a deep breath and let it out shakily. "Yeah," he muttered, taking in Pyrrha's words, allowing them to calm him. "Yeah, okay." He hesitated before pulling her into a hug. "Thanks for everything, Pyrrha. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you." He drew back quickly, fixing his gaze on the exam room to hide his rising blush. "Okay, let's do this. Ready?"

"Absolutely." Pyrrha nodded. She was confident in her and Jaune's abilities. Also, the warmth of his brief hug traveled directly to her chest. It felt as if his warmth was combining with her Aura, filling her with hope and clarity.

 _Now's not the time for poetic sentiments,_ she told herself. _Focus._

For the next few hours, any and all thought was consumed by filling in the right answers to the essay questions and remembering what battle stance to take while the professors watched them with narrowed eyes. The impassive stares and ominous scratching of pencils on clipboards were enough to unnerve even Pyrrha. The two let out a combined sigh of relief when they were finally able to go home.

Jaune noticed Pyrrha's silence at dinner and talked to her as they ate their dessert in the living room. "What are you worried about? There's no way you failed."

Pyrrha sighed. "I'm just thinking about the fact that it's out of our hands now. All we can do is wait for Beacon to send out those letters. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep in the meantime."

"Tell me about it," Jaune muttered, shaking his head. "Did you see that lady who was looking at our battle stances? Her weapon was a freaking _riding crop_! I was expecting her to smack my wrists if I lost my balance, or something."

"The one who kept running from place to place unnerved me. I'm positive that he must have spiked his coffee with something else," Pyrrha said, finishing her cookies and putting the plate on the coffee table. "Why don't we treat ourselves? Let's take a break from training tomorrow and spend the night watching the rest of _Red vs. Blue_!"

Jaune grinned. "I like the way you think!"

In the end, the exertions of the day caught up to them, and they ended up falling asleep together on the couch. When they woke up the next morning, feeling totally relaxed, they saw that someone had put a blanket over them.

A week after the exams, two letters from Beacon arrived at the Arc household.

Jaune and Pyrrha stood together by the mailbox, eying each other nervously in the early morning light. Taking a deep breath, they counted down from three before frantically ripping their envelopes open and staring at the letters within.

There was a pause of less than a millisecond before two simultaneous shouts of glee echoed throughout the neighborhood, probably waking up everyone within a half mile.

"Holy Dust!" Jaune shouted. "I got in! Look at it!" He waved the letter in front of Pyrrha. "It's signed by Ozpin himself!"

"I know!" Pyrrha said, rushing forward to hug Jaune, clutching her own acceptance letter in her hand. "I knew you could do it!"

Laughing, Jaune picked her up and spun her around once. "It's all thanks to you! Man, I could kiss you right now!" As he spoke those words, his blood turned to ice and he mentally kicked himself. _Wait, did I just say that out loud? Crap!_ "Uh, I mean, uh. That was a figure of-Mmph!"

Pyrrha was too happy to hesitate. Upon hearing Jaune's words, she threw caution to the winds and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. She felt him stiffen in shock before his arms tightened around her, pulling her flush against him.

Jaune's eyes closed as he clumsily returned Pyrrha's kiss. Her fingers combed through his hair, causing him to shiver with delight. He brought one hand up to her cheek, caressing it softly while keeping his other arm firmly wrapped around her waist. Part of him wondered if he was dreaming and would wake up in a few minutes hugging his pillow.

Unfortunately, the kiss was ended abruptly by a whistle and a child's voice going "Ooooooh!"

Jaune jumped back, his face turning bright red. "Jenny, go inside!" he snapped. The little six year old giggled and quickly closed the door. A moment later, shouts of "Jaune and Pyrrha sitting in a tree!" rang through the walls. Jaune groaned, bringing a hand to his face. "Sorry, Pyrrha. Looks like we're going to be tormented about this for at least the next twenty four hours."

Pyrrha, trying very hard not to burst out laughing, walked over and pecked Jaune's cheek. "Well, since we're already going to be teased about it…"

Jaune's face immediately softened to a smile and he pulled Pyrrha into another hug, brushing his lips lightly against hers. "I'll be honest: I've kinda been wanting to do this for a long time."

"What a coincidence," Pyrrha exclaimed, flashing a coy smile. "So have I."

Jaune looked at his letter again. "I still can't believe this. Do you think there's a chance that we'll be partners? Maybe we can bribe Ozpin..."

"I think we'd have to be much richer to do that, Jaune," Pyrrha chuckled. "I'm sure things will work out, though." She glanced toward the door. "Come on. Let's show these to your parents before your sisters' singing drives them crazy."

They walked toward the door hand in hand, their acceptance letters crinkling merrily in their free hands. Neither teen could remember ever feeling happier, and knew that the coming fall would only be better.

 **And the events of Volume 3 never happened! Our favorite Hunter duo joined Team JNPR, kicked ass, and lived happily ever after. The end.**

 **In other news, the official release date has been given for Volume 4. It looks like October 22** **nd** **will mark the beginning of a massive black hole of feels from which there's no escape. Between what happened in Volume 3 and Shane's letter, I'm a bit apprehensive, but I have decided that I care too much about these characters to just stop watching. The huge timeskip between volumes worries me, as I feel that it robs us of some key character moments that we should have seen. *cough* The rest of team JNPR dealing with Pyrrha's death during those first few months. *cough* Still, we'll see what happens.**

 **Praise Monty and peace out!**


End file.
